


On Your Side, Always

by HarkaSun



Series: 5 Months of Shadowhunters Challenge [7]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood Said Downworlder Rights, Alec Lightwood Will Change The World For His Husband, Discrimination Against Downworlders, Head of the Institute Alec Lightwood, Insecure Magnus Bane, M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Moving to Alicante Conversation, Post-Canon, Protective Alec Lightwood, Stubborn Alec Lightwood, Supportive Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:40:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24769429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HarkaSun/pseuds/HarkaSun
Summary: Magnus meets Alec in the New York Institute for lunch and encounters some intolerant shadowhunters. Alec refuses to allow discrimination in his institute. He tells Magnus of an upcoming promotion.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: 5 Months of Shadowhunters Challenge [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696138
Comments: 5
Kudos: 249





	On Your Side, Always

**Author's Note:**

> For @permetstu and @izzymalec's 5 Months of Shadowhunters Challenge on Tumblr.  
> Week 11: Downworld vs Shadowworld  
> (Honestly, I didn't really understand the topic, so I just did whatever came to mind!)

The institute bustles with life, shadowhunters hurrying their way across the Ops Centre, pausing at screens to gather information or speak with their friends. Magnus scans absent eyes across the room, searching for a glimpse of his husband in the crowded space.

He and Alec meet at the institute for lunch at least every other day of the working week. If they don’t, Alec will forget to eat and won’t have anything until he returns home for dinner. Despite their regular routine becoming common knowledge, Magnus is still a little wary about entering the institute without his husband at his side.

He knows better than anyone that not all shadowhunters are as tolerant and kind as his newly found family. The Lightwood’s have welcomed him with open arms. Not everyone is like that, however. Some of them would still rather see Magnus dead than married into a shadowhunter family.

Catching sight of his husband across the busy room, Magnus straightens his back, lifts his head in confidence. A hand lifts to absently smooth the front of his shirt as he walks across the room.

Alec is stood before a screen, pointing out areas on a map. Magnus recognises it at the docks around the Jade Wolf. A group of shadowhunters are gathered on one side, listening intently to their leader’s every word. One or two of them will nod every so often and Magnus catches some looking his way as he stops a few yards away, waits for Alec to finish. A younger woman frowns at him. Magnus’s recognises the light of hostility in her eyes. He elects to ignore it.

“Any problems, you send a fire message directly to me, okay?” Alec says to the group. “If she doesn’t want you there, then don’t force it. Maia has the best interests of her people at heart, but if there’s any misunderstanding, you wait and you send for me. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Sir,” says one of the boys, lifting a hand halfway into the air, a half-smile on his lips.

Alec looks to him. “Yes, Ethan?”

“Your husband’s waiting for you.”

Alec frowns and turns, immediately catches Magnus’s eye. “Oh, hey,” he greets, checks his watch as he walks the step or two to his husband. He leans down for a chaste kiss. “I’m not late.”

“No,” Magnus agrees with a soft chuckle. “I’m just a little early. I’ll wait until you’ve finished your briefing.”

Alec shakes his head and looks back to the team. “Are we good?”

He is met with nods and agreements of “yes, sir”. The girl who Magnus had noticed before huffs and exchanges a mumbled word with a boy beside her. Alec turns his head a little, clearly noticing the exchange, but he says nothing. He dismisses them and gives his attention back to Magnus.

The team scurries past and Magnus picks up a few whispered words.

“Demon scum walking around like it owns the place. It’s becoming way too comfortable in _our_ institute.”

“It’s only allowed in here because it married the head of the institute. Lightwood has to see sense sooner or later, right?”

The emotional pain surfaces unexpectedly. Perhaps it hits a little too close to home. Magnus might be worried that Alec will grow bored of him, will change his mind when he begins to age and Magnus remains untouched. Magnus swallows his next rising emotion, the anger bubbling behind his grief, wills his magic not to flare out at the insult. He should be used to it by now. He is certainly accustomed to keeping his power in check.

Alec apparently has no such control.

“You two,” he calls after them, gesturing them back over. They exchange an anxious look before obeying, standing in front of Alec, who stares them down stonily. “Do you want to repeat that?”

Wide eyes meet his words, but neither of them speak. Clearly, they hadn’t expected their comments to be heard. There are eyes on them now, the institute watching with side-eyed looks. Alec makes an expression of feigned surprise when the two before him continue their awkward silence.

“Oh, nothing? From either of you?”

He has definitely been spending too much time around Magnus. The sarcastic trill of his voice is perfect as it is threatening. There is something about him then, some danger just below the surface. Magnus isn’t used to seeing him like this. He has grown too accustomed to the kind and gentle Alec that he gets exclusively to himself.

“The rest of you can go,” Alec calls to the team, who have lingered to watch the exchange. The group hurry away out the front doors and Alec narrows his eyes at the two in front of him, crosses his arms over his chest. “I just thought you would like the opportunity to apologise.”

“Sorry, sir,” the shadowhunters reply in unison.

“No, not to me,” Alec says, jerking his head aside to Magnus. “To Magnus. That’s his name, by the way. Not that you’ve taken to using it apparently.”

Magnus shakes his head slowly. “Alec, it’s not—”

“It’s completely necessary,” says Alec before he can finish, casting him a brief look before roaming his gaze around the room. “Do you think the transfers in this place were random? I’m creating a safe space here in the New York institute.” He glares at the two before him. “You are violating that space with hate.”

“We earned our places here,” one of the shadowhunters—the girl—says as she stares at Alec defiantly. “You can’t kick us out because of our opinions.”

Alec gives her a crooked smile, the one that is dangerously close to a snarl. “Well, feel free to take it up with the next inquisitor. Until they are sworn in, you can take your hate to Consul Penhallow and see what she says about it. Now,” his eyes harden, “get the hell out of my institute.”

The pair gape a moment before the boy pulls that at the girl’s arm and they scurry away.

“You have twenty minutes to collect your things,” Alec calls after them.

The entire room is staring by this point, silent. Alec sweeps his gaze around the shadowhunters, straightening his back as he walks to the stairs.

“I will not tolerate insolence or hate in this building,” he says as he walks, voice raised to the commanding tone that he only uses on the shadowhunters under his leadership.

The entire room gathers like it is a planned meeting, staring up at Alec as he reaches the top of the stairs and turns to them.

“If you have a shred of disrespect towards downworlders or anyone else in this room, you will be given one chance at redemption. Hate is learned, it can be unlearned. You can ask for help to change. If you are unwilling or unable to accept equality, you will be transferred and you can take it elsewhere.” Steely eyes travel across the crowd. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir,” the collective response comes immediately.

“Good,” says Alec, gestures absently for them to go back to their work as he beckons Magnus to follow him.

The warlock does so unquestioningly, walks briskly after his husband as Alec leads him to his office. He slams the door shut behind them, aims a frustrated kick at the desk. Magnus can’t help but startle a little at the noise. Alec rakes a regretful hand into his hair, moves to him hesitantly.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he apologises, moving to gently clutch Magnus’s hands, squeezes them tight. “I just hate how they treat you. I hate that there are still people like that in this institute. I’ve been trying, Magnus, I’m trying to make it better. I’m sorry it’s still happening—”

“Alexander, stop,” Magnus says firmly. “People have been thinking and talking like this for hundreds of years, for as long as I can remember… I hate it, but… Alec, you’re a shadowhunter. I’m a downworlder. There are always going to be people who can’t tolerate that. There will always be shadowhunters who want my kind dead.”

Alec sighs and closes his eyes. “You know I’m on your side, Magnus. Always.”

“This isn’t about sides, my love,” says Magnus, shakes his head a little. “Besides, downworlders definitely have our fair share of problems.” He gestures to himself with an absent and bejewelled hand, his glamour falling to let his cat eyes show. “Half demon, remember?”

“Then let’s not choose,” says Alec. He lifts a hand to Magnus’s cheek, openly admiring his warlock mark. “We’ve proved that downworlders and the shadowhunters can coexist, more than that even. Our people aren’t at war anymore and we need to make them realise that… The world will have to catch up or I will make it catch up.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Alec bites the inside of his cheek, ducking his gaze. “I’ve been offered a position in Alicante,” he utters, lifts his eyes to Magnus again. “Since Imogen, they’ve had a difficult time finding a competent Inquisitor and they want me to try out… but I told them that I won’t move to Alicante without you.”

“Alec,” Magnus breathes out, lifting both hands to cradle Alec’s cheeks, “I’m... I am so proud of you, I really am, but I can’t let you pass on this opportunity for me… There’s no way The Clave will let a warlock live in Alicante. I’m sorry, but I’m not even allowed to visit there. I’m a downworlder. The Clave officials would never agree to it.”

“What if I told you they already did?”

The is a moment of almost perfect silence. Magnus takes a moment to understand what his husband is saying. “... What the hell did you even—?”

“I just gave a good argument. I gave the truth: that Alicante would prosper from downworlder interaction within the city... and that I wouldn’t take the job unless you were allowed to move there with me.” Alec shakes his head, untangles one of his hands to lift to the nape of Magnus’s neck. “They agreed to my terms, but I haven’t said yes yet. I was waiting for your answer.”

“Oh, Alec...” Magnus whispers, brings Alec’s hand to his lips and kisses him lightly. “Yes, of course I will come to Alicante with you.”

Alec blinks rapidly a moment, stuck almost. “Wait, really…?” he asks falteringly, shaking his head. “You really mean that?”

“Of course,” says Magnus. “I love you, Alexander. I would follow you anywhere.”

Alec huffs softly, smiles into the kiss that Magnus leaves upon his lips. “Into hell?”

Magnus chuckles weakly. “I’m afraid you already beat me to that one,” he reminds his husband, his eyes soft and wide as he stares up at his husband. “We’ve tried a demonic realm and I don’t think it was really us… Why not see if the angelic can suit us better?” He smiles softly. “City of Glass here we come.”

Alec ducks his head forward so he can press their foreheads together. “I’ll go anywhere… as long as it’s with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Link to the fic on my tumblr: https://harkasun.tumblr.com/post/621184929218396160/on-your-side-always


End file.
